Bill Nye and Pete Buttigieg support Democrat who backs candidate despite wishing harm on GOP lawmaker’s children

Democratic Candidate Spanberger Rides Celebrity Support Amid Scandal

Abigail Spanberger, running for governor in Virginia, has brushed aside calls for fellow Democrat Jay Jones to step down amid a texting controversy. To bolster her campaign, she’s bringing in some big names—most notably Bill Nye and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg—who are set to join her rally in Charlottesville on Tuesday.

According to reports, both Buttigieg and Spanberger will also be participating in a virtual event later in the evening. Spanberger made it clear that responsibility lies with Jones concerning the scandal.

“I made it clear to Jay that he had to take full responsibility for his words,” Spanberger stated.

Adding more star power, former President Barack Obama is scheduled to appear at a campaign rally in Norfolk on November 1 to support Spanberger. “Virginia’s election is one of the most important in the country this year,” he remarked. “Republican policies raise costs for working families and favor tax breaks for billionaires. As governor, Abigail will prioritize families and strive to create an economy that benefits everyone—not just the rich and big corporations.”

Recently, Nye spoke at a No Kings event in D.C. where he didn’t hold back in criticizing President Trump. “We’re here to tell our Congress members that what’s happening in our government is wrong,” he declared. Nye accused Trump and his allies of not tolerating dissent and undermining free speech.

Spanberger’s notable endorsement from Obama comes just after a scandal involving Jones that Virginia Democrats hoped to keep under wraps. In a leaked text exchange from 2022, Jones made violent remarks about a Republican lawmaker and his children.

In the messages, Jones suggested that he would opt to shoot House Speaker Todd Gilbert if given a choice between Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot. He accused Gilbert and his spouse of raising “little fascists” who wished harm upon their children.

In response, Spanberger condemned Jones’ comments but refrained from asking him to resign from the race. Instead, she plans to continue her campaign activities alongside both Jones and Ghazala Hashmi, the Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial candidate.

Reflecting on the situation, Spanberger said, “I expressed my disgust to Jay about his comments and the content of his emails. He must be fully accountable for his words. As a candidate and future governor, I will always denounce violent language in politics.”